Chamber launches countrywide survey

Cape Town, 23 July 2026 — Ask ten business owners what it is like to do business in South Africa and you will probably get ten different answers.

 

Some will point to unreliable infrastructure. Others to rising costs, regulation, skills shortages, logistics or changing markets. Each experience tells only part of the story. Together, however, they reveal something far more valuable: a clearer picture of the environment in which South African businesses operate every day.

 

That is the thinking behind the National Business Environment Survey, a new national initiative by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) at Stellenbosch University.

 

The survey invites businesses of every size, sector and province to contribute to one of the country's most comprehensive assessments of South Africa's business environment.

 

Taking approximately ten minutes to complete, it will capture how businesses experience their own operations, their local business environment, their industry, their province and the wider national context.

 

"This survey is not academic—it directly generates clear instructions for relevant stakeholders, such as municipalities or industry sector bodies, on what is specifically needed in different locations and sectors," says John Lawson, CEO of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

 

"To serve the best interests of business and society, public institutions need to know exactly what matters most to business. While we often complain about public sector failures, organised business in South Africa has historically lacked an efficient mechanism to articulate its needs collectively. Until now, a few large firms could lobby directly, but the vast majority of businesses were left unheard."

 

Unlike economic reports that rely primarily on statistics, the National Business Environment Survey is built on something equally important: the direct experience of South African businesses.

 

The businesses operating in the economy every day are often the first to recognise emerging opportunities, identify persistent constraints and understand where conditions are changing. Bringing those experiences together creates an evidence base grounded in the realities of doing business in South Africa.

 

The Cape Chamber believes that better understanding begins with listening. Stronger evidence can lead to more informed engagement between business, government and other stakeholders, while helping to focus attention on the issues that matter most to investment, competitiveness and economic growth.

 

Lawson believes the survey will serve as a catalyst for effective public-private collaboration by bridging the gap between policy formulation and daily operational realities.

 

"The people in the public sector who decide how best to allocate public funds cannot easily see or understand the realities of running a business on the ground," Lawson notes. "Few have ever operated in the private sector themselves, yet most public leaders I have worked with genuinely seek to do the right thing based on the insights available to them.

 

"If business fails to clearly communicate what needs to change to unlock further investment and growth, ill-informed decision-making is the inevitable result. Conversely, wherever business properly informs public decision-makers, that segment of the economy begins to grow faster."

 

The survey is administered independently by the Bureau for Economic Research. Individual responses will remain strictly confidential and will not be reported in a way that identifies any business or respondent. All findings will be published only in aggregated form.

 

According to the BER, broad participation is essential to building a representative national picture. Businesses in different sectors, regions and communities experience South Africa differently, and every completed survey strengthens the quality and credibility of the findings.

 

Once the survey closes, the BER will analyse the data. The findings will then be made available through a dedicated online reporting platform hosted by the Cape Chamber, where users will be able to explore trends across industries, provinces and business sizes, compare results and generate downloadable reports.

 

The National Business Environment Survey forms part of a longer-term commitment to strengthening the understanding of South Africa's business environment through credible research, collaboration and evidence-based insight.

 

Every completed survey adds another perspective to the national picture. Together, those perspectives can help reveal where South African businesses are succeeding, where they are facing obstacles and where the greatest opportunities for improvement lie.

 

Businesses across South Africa are invited to participate before the survey closes in three weeks' time.

Complete the survey: https://redcap.sun.ac.za/surveys/?s=KT38PM9WX7FLA9RT

 

Established in 1804, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry is Africa's oldest member-based business organisation. The Chamber works to strengthen the business environment through advocacy, collaboration, connection and practical support for business.

Established in 1944 and based at Stellenbosch University, the Bureau for Economic Research is one of South Africa's leading independent economic research institutions. The BER conducts economic research, forecasting and business surveys that inform decision-making across the public and private sectors.

Media enquiries: Bobby Jordan, Media Liaison Officer, Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tel: 083 925 8358.  Email: bobby@capechamber.co.za